Addis Ababa, 12 December 2013 – The African Union-United Nations Joint Chief Mediator for Darfur, Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, said he values and appreciates the three-day workshop on peace and security in Darfur, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with the participation of two non-signatory movements, Sudan Liberation Army / Minni Minawi (SLA/MM) and the Justice and Equality Movement / Gibril Ibrahim (JEM/Gibril).

Dr. Chambas said he welcomed the willingness of the participants to move forward into a peaceful and negotiated settlement of the conflict. “We are ready to continue engaging with all the non-signatory movements to bring them on board the peace process and find a durable solution for the Darfur conflict,” he said. “The only way forward is through dialogue, not violence.”
 
The workshop, which concluded on 11 December, was co-organized by the AU-UN Joint Mediation Support Team and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, and was designed to discuss issues related to international humanitarian law and human rights.

In a press statement, JEM/Gibril and SLA/MM emphasized the importance of creating a conducive environment for peace talks through confidence-building measures to pave the way for a comprehensive, inclusive, just and durable peace.

In their jointly released statement, the two movements expressed their appreciation for the relentless efforts of the Joint Chief Mediator in search of comprehensive peace, and their commitment to respect and promote the principles of international humanitarian law and human rights.

On 9 December 2013, (left) Mini Minawi, the leader of the Sudan Liberation Army / MM, giving his opening remarks during thr first session of the workshop. Photo  by Albert González Farran, UNAMID.